Gray Sanddragon

Gray sanddragons can be found in Arizona, California, Chihuahua, Idaho, Jalisco, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington. In Idaho these dragonflies can be found at desert streams in the southwest corner of the state.

Nymphs can be very selective in choosing their habitat choices and will often occur only in certain stretches of a particular river or stream. The upturned tip of their abdomen is exposed when they burrow into the sand. This strategy allows them to breathe while buried by pumping water in and out of the tip of the abdomen. Unlike most other species, the gray sanddragon nymphs emerge as adults during the day. Although many records are sparse, the adults are believed to fly from early June to September. Gray sanddragons can't tolerate cooler temperatures and are rarely seen flying on cool or cloudy days.